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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bank — for money
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bank — of a river
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. content — the amount
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bank — for money
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bass — low music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. capital — a city
  15. content — happy
  16. track — a song
  17. bear — the animal
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bear — the animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. track — to keep track
  22. capital — money
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. track — a path

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com